Display rack



' Oct. 15, 1929. J. 5. FRANKLIN 1,731,411

DISPLAY RACK Filed March 19, 1928 I N VEJYTOR. W J 92% IQm ZM Patented Oct. 15 1929 STATES JAMES S. FRANKLIN, 015 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA DISPLAY RACK Application filed March 19, 1928. Serial No. 262,636.

My invention relates to an improved display rack adaptable for use either within or on top of a show case or on a counterof a store or in window displays. Among its advantages besides being useful as a display rack the device is collapsible into a very small space. Further objects and advantages will be fully set forth in the following specification reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which,

' Fig. l is a perspective view of my device in a preferred form, set up and ready for use, the view being taken at an angle looking obliquely toward the front left corner of the device.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional View of the rack illustrated in Fig. 1 showing it collapsed.

Fig. 3 is a right hand end elevation of a certain wire frame for my device also shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a rear elevation, reduced, of the form of my device illustratedin Fig. 1.

F ig. 5 is a full rear View of my device as made of metal only and embodying certain variations in bracing details for the supporting means.

Fig. 6 is a top or plan View of the rear part of the metal yoke member 18A18B shown also in Fig. 5, about as on line 66 in said Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged rear corner detail of the yoke member Y, the rear frame support and a certain spring actuated latching device for said parts, the latter partsshown in section.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one rear corner of the metal yoke brace and the lower portion of a rear prop, with a modified latching device connecting them, and Fig. 9 is a sectional view looking down as at line 9--9 in Fig.8.

Referring to the drawing mainly by refer ence numerals my device consists of a main 45 display rack comprising two elongated hori- Zontally spaced end members 10 made either of wood as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 orof sheet metal as in Fig. 5, either type normally in inclined position where the device is in use 50 and having a fiat lower surface 11 at their allel flat bars or slats of either wood ormetal,

front ends to rest on a table, counter or other horizontal surface. 12 is a suitable top board or sheet metal plate connecting the upper or rear ends of the members 10 and is preferably in horizontal plane when the der vice is in operative position. Between the 0 forward edge of board 12 and extending toward the lower front portions of the members 10 their upper edges are formed or cut in saw-tooth form, each cut comprising pref- G0 erably a long forwardly and upwardly directed edge 10A and an adjoining upwardly and rearwardly directed edge 10]?) approximately at right angles to 10A. 13 are paras desired, the ends of said bars suitably secured to the edges 10A10B and connecting the end memberslO rigidly (see Figs. 1 and 2). Thus anumber of successive steps are formed each step comprisinga base con sisting of bars 13 and adjoining each said base a ledge formed preferably by a single slat 13, as shown, and fixed to edges 1013.

It will be readily understood that the main display frame thus formed and supported in angular position provides eflicient and convenient display means for bakery goods or other merchandise, and may be placed on top of a counter or show case, within a show case or in a window. Articles of vari- 8O ous kinds may belaid on the bases of the steps and are partially supported by the adjoining ledges. a

The cap board 12 may be provided with a number of suitably spaced apertures 17' for Q frictionally inserting and retaining the vertical legs of a wire rack. Said rack comprises two upright, inverted U-shape end frames 14; each with an eye 14E formed at one of its corners, and a straight bar 15 with eye-loops 15E at its ends engaging each in one of said eyes 14E of a frame 14. 16 is an intermediate single prop comprising preferably a stiff wire with a loop 16E slidably engaging bar 15 said prop also adapted to be inserted in anaperture 17.to support bar 15. The said members 14 are retained in transverse position one at each end of plate 12thus holding bar 15 in horizontal plane rigidly above the rear edge part. of plate 12, thus providing additional merchandise holding means on top of the device. This wire frame is of course removable and collapsible and can he laid within the main frame when the latter is to be shipped or stored.

I will now describe the preferred means for supporting the display frame in the angular plane as shown in Fig. 1. These means are also optionally of wood as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 or of metal as in Figs. 5 to 9. inclusive. The wooden means comprise preferably two side bars 18, each pivotally secured at 19, one to the inner and front part of each member 10 and thus readily swung out from a position inwardly of each member 10 to horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1. 20 are a pair of rear props or legs each pivotally secured at 21 to the inner side of plate 10 near its rear and upper end and both preferably connected by a brace 22.

The lower extremities of said wooden props 20 are bifurcated as 2013 in Fig. 1 to frictionally retain the members 18 when the members 18-20 are in the right angles and in their frame supporting position, it being understood that members 18 are first swung down and then frame 2022 swung down until the members 18 can be swung into position as shown in Fig. 7.

In the metal display rack I prefer to make the horizontal frame bracing in yoke form and the legs independent of each other thus being the reverse of the corresponding con.- struction in the wooden supporting means, said metal horizontal brace comprising a U- shaped yoke of fiat bar stock the arms of which are pivotally secured to the side members 10 (not shown), said arms being designated 18A in Figs. 69 inclusive. connecting bar of said yoke serving as a horizontal brace between the arms 18A. The metal legs 20, corresponding to the legs 20 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are pivoted at 21 and their lower extremities each formed with an inwardly bent foot piece 20F. The said legs and the yoke may of course be folded or turned in on their respective pivots to lie within the main frame and both may be provided with means cooperating to hold them at right angles to each other when in operative position. Said means in Figs. 5, 6 and 9 consists of a pair of transverse spaced ridges or ribs 18R in the arm 18A between which the legs 20 are sprung and retained when in vertical position. The legs 20 may likewise be ridged as 20R in Fig. 5 to hold the yoke from vertical displacement except when forced out of said position. The legs 20 and yoke member 18A18B may further be latched together by providing an aperture in leg 20 adapted to be engaged by a spring actuated pin 24: suitably housed in a housing 18H fixed on arm 18A.

In Fig. 6 is shown a flat spring 25 fixed at 26 to the inner side of an arm 18A, and hav- 18B is the ing a pin 24 engaging in the aperture in leg 20 and said spring actuated pin serving to latch the members 18A and 20 together. Figs. 8 and 9 show simply a modification of the flat latching spring 25 but in this instance being fixed longitudinally in a depression 27 of the leg 20 and its pin 24: being automatically sprung into an aperture 28 in yoke arm 18A. In any of the various means thus provided for holding the yoke horizontal and the legs vertical it is obvious that the respective parts are securely braced, yet readily disengaged to be collapsed within the main frame.

The use of my device and its collapsible construction and features have been fully disclosed in the foregoing specification.

I claim:

1. In a display rack having a main display frame with adjoining article supporting areas and said frame normally supported in inclined position by collapsible leg and brace means hingedly fixed to the main frame; said leg members comprising flat bars pivotally connected to the opposite rear parts of the main frame to support said part in raised position; bracing means pivotally secured to opposite front parts of the main frame comprising a U-shaped yoke of flat bar stock, the parallel members thereof adapted to be swung to horizontal position between the supporting legs, when the latter are arranged vertically, a pair of transverse vertically spaced parallel ridges in each leg near its foot end, like spaced ridges arranged one pair'on each parallel member of the U-brace, the parts of said respective legs and brace members between their ridges arranged to be engaged transversely against each other, one brace part against one leg part when the leg members and brace member are swung respectively to vertical and horizontal position to support the frame in inclined position and spring actuated means for further holding said crossed parts of the brace. and leg members.

2. The structure specified in claim 1 in which said latter means comprises at each of said crossed interengaged parts a spring actuated pin mounted in one of said supporting members, the adjacent part of the other supporting member provided with an aperture normally engaged by said pin, and said pin adapted to be retracted from said engaging position in the aperture.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES S. FRANKLIN. 

